Flashing receptacle



Sept. 17, 1929. PHELP 1,728,627

FLASHING RECEPTACLE Original Filed Feb. 21, 1927 [7w 6/228 7 30726.: Z/zipa a Patented Sept. 17, 1929 JAMES w. PHELPS, O1 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS rnasame anonrraenn Application filed February 21, 1927, Serial No. 189,906; Renewed July 15, 1929.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical receptacle and has specialreference to flashing or' electric make and break receptacles. g

This" present invention is, in part, a continuation of my co-pendin application on electric receptacles, filed N. 715556, now Patent No. 1,691,141, issued December 4,1928. 1 f .Theobject'of my invention is to provide a simple make and break receptacle which shall consistof a minimum number of parts, which shall make use of fastenerg for accomlishing more than one function, which shall chea to manufacture and which shall efiective and economically serve its purpose of flashing a lamp.

A particular feature of my invention relates to the securing of the thermo-element and one of the terminals by a single fasten- 1 means. v

invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, forming part ofthis specification and in which 7 1 Fig. 1, is a vertical, central section of a flashin receptacle on the line 1-1 of F g. '2, ma e in accordance with-my invention and embodying the invention in one form:

' Fig. 2, is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig, 1; g g

Fig. 3, is a bottom plan view of the receptacle shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, is a fragmental, vertical section on the line 4 -4 of ig. 2; I Fig. 5, is a diagrammatic view, particularly showing the electric circuit;

I F ig. 6, is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7, and showingra modified form of the invention;

ig. 7, is a horizontal sectionon the line 7--7 of Fig. 6; and v I Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical section on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

In said drawings 1 represents a porcelain receptacle, having a base 2 and an upstanding socket 3. In the socket 3 is a screwthreaded shell terminal 4 of usual form for 6 receiving the common form. of screway 24, 1924, S. I

portions 9 at its lower threaded lamp base or other similar connect mg device.

The, base is hollowed out beneath, as shown at ,5, for the reception of the thermo-element. As usual the base has perforated securing lugs 6, and between them connection supporting lugs 7 and 8.

The shell terminal 4 has internal flange end for securing the shell in place. I rovide a connecting member 10 which is -shaped, the arms 11 of which are found to fit within the base of the shell and lie on top of the flanges 9, and the two parts are secured to the base 2 by fasteners 12 which, as shown, are screws extending up through the base and received at ings in the arms 11. The shank or stem 13 of the member 10 extends out through an opening 14 in the shell 4 and a registering opening 15 in the socket 3, and is provided on its outer end, which is positioned above theconnection lug 7, with a clamping screw .15 by which one of.the circuit wires can be attached to the device. To form the other side of the circuit I 7 provide a central screw 16 which extends down into the hollow base and is held lower end.

I arrange a thermo-element 18 in the holthrough which the current flows to the central contact 16. The inner end of the strip 19 is clamped in place beneath a washer 21 held in place by the nut 17. One end of the heating coil can be clamped to the strip 19 by the nut 17 orit coulcl obviously be soldered thereto.

Upon the connection lug 8 I secure a connection plate 22 by a screw 23 which extends up through a hole provided in the base and engages in a screw-threaded hole provided in the plate at one end. At the opposite end of the plate I provide a binding screw 24, the point of which extends down into a pocket 25 in the base 2, and thus in cooperation with the screw 23 holds the plate 22 in place. At the center of the plate 22 there is provided a vertically adjustable screw 26 mounted on the plate 22 and which extends their upper ends in screw-threaded openin place by a nut 17 on its plate 22 andcoil 20 to center contact 16 and out through the socket and binding screw This heats the coil and causes the iii-metallic plate to close against the adjustable screw 26, thus opening a free course for the current through the strip 19 to light the lamp in the socket. This shunt-s the current from the coil permitting it to cool and open the maincircuit at the contact between the strip 19 and adjusting screw 26, thus cutting off; thecurrent from the lamp until the circuit is again closedat this point.1

In the form of device shown in Figs, 6 to Sfinclusive the arrangement is practically the same as that already described, except that thethermo-element 18,=in this ihstance, is arranged above the baseinstead of as in the form described. The inner end of the thermq-element in this form isheld beneath the top 129 of the center contact 30.which is shownas a hollow rivet which extends down through a central opening in base 2 and has its end turned or bent over in a sunken opening 31 in the bottom of the base.

nstead of the flatconnection plate 22 I provide a U-shaped bridge plate 32, having bentout ends to form foetal-33 and 34. The

bindingscrew Z4 is arranged in the foot 33 and a fastener .35, in this instance, a hollow rivet secures the brid e late33 to the base by the foot 34'. As we ore, one end 27 of thern1o coil'20 is clamped under the foot 34. The adjusting screw 261's mounted in the bent up part of the bridge plate 32 and above the free end of the thermo-strip, To assist in retaining the adjusting screwQG m its adjusted posltion I provide a friction plate 36 bent to conform with one end of the ridge plate. One end of this friction plate is clamped tight by the fastener 35, and the.

other end 37 is formed to press up under the head of the adjustable screw.

- In the center of the socket I provide a low post 38 upon the topof which the inner endof the thermo-strip is held by the center contact, and to retain the strip from swinglngsideways out of its desired position I provide the top of thepost with projections 38 between which the thermo-strip is re-f ceived.

The. flow of urrent through the modified formof device is the same as that already described. a

As man modifications of my invention will readily i suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine my invention to the specific details of con: struction herein shown and described.

I claim:

, 1. In a receptacle of the kind described,,a socket portion upstanding from-a base, a shell terminal within the socket, means extending down into the base for securing the shell terminal, a central terminal in the socket, means extending through into the base for securing this terminal in position, aconnecting plate extending-over the base and into the socket for connection to one of the terminals thereof, a bi-metallic thermoelement within the base secured at :one end by the securing means ofthe central terminal, a second connection plate on the base,

an adjustable contact screw carried by said. second plate and extending down into the base for contact with the thermo-element,

a coil on said element connected at one end to said second connection plate and at the other end to said central terminal, whereby said coil is in circuit when the circuit is open between the adjustable screw and the thermo-element, as and for the purpose specified.

low base extending transversely thereof and secured at one end only by the fastenin means of the central terminal. l

v 3. In a wall socket, a body of insulation material having a hollow base, a shell termi i nal and a central terminal secured on the body, a thermo-electric make and break bar arranged in. the hollow, base and rigidly mounted at one end by the. central terminal fastening means. i

- 4. Ina device of the kind described, a body of insulation material having, abolloW base, a central terminal and a shell terminal secured to the body by fasteners ex tending into the base, anda thermo-electrio make and break bar arranged in and ex? tending transversely of the base and rigidly held at one end only by the central terminal fastener.

5 In a wall socket, a body of insulation material having a hollow base, a shell terminal and a central terminal, means securing said terminals upon said body, a thermoelectric make and break bar in the hollowfl base and electrically connected at one end to the central terminal by the securing means there-of.

6. In a wall socket,a body of insulation material, a central terminal and a shell terminal secured to the body, and an electric thermo-element securedon the body byythe means securing the central terminal thereon.

7. In a device of the liind described, a body of insulation material, having a base, a socket thereon, a shell terminal and a "central terminal within the socket, means securmg said terminals in place. a thermo-electric make and break element on the base and secured by the means securing the central terminal in position.

8. In a Wall socket, a body insulation material having a recess, a central and a shell terminal secured to said body, a thermoelectric make and break bar arranged in said recess and secured at one end only by the fastening means of the central terminal.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 9th day, of December, 1926.

JAMES \V. PHELPS. 

